The first and only plastic car, made of biocomposite materials
The Atomic Layers: S5E11 (00127)
Atomic Layer of the Day:
Today’s article will be quite unusual because it has absolutely nothing to do with 3D printing. However, when I came across this story on a bioplastics website, I felt I just had to share it with you.
This is a Trabant.
If you were born in the 1990s, you probably have no idea what that is. If you were born in the 1980s but outside Europe, you might not know either. However, for those born in the 1980s or earlier, and especially in Eastern Europe (like me), this story is a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
The Trabant was the first car made from bioplastics, introduced in 1957 in East Germany as a response to the popular Volkswagen Beetle in West Germany. Its production ended in 1991, shortly after the reunification of Germany in 1990. The name "Trabant" comes from the Slavic word for "companion" and also refers to the Soviet satellite "Sputnik."
The Volkswagen Beetle was an affordable car, with "Volkswagen" meaning "people's car" in German. The Trabant was designed to be East Germany's alternative—a simple, inexpensive means of transport for the masses.
What made the Trabant unique was its innovative body made from a material called Duroplast. This composite consisted of plastic mixed with natural fibers like wool or recycled cotton. Duroplast made the Trabant the first mass-produced car with biocomposite materials. It was lightweight, cheap to produce, and resistant to rust, though not particularly crash-resistant.
The Trabant became a symbol of socialist-era automotive engineering and an icon of everyday life in East Germany. Despite its flaws, such as outdated technology and a low-performance engine, it was widely used and valued by owners for its simplicity and functionality. Today, we might compare it to modern city cars like the Toyota Aygo, KIA Picanto, or Nissan Micra—affordable and compact urban vehicles.
The Trabant’s production ceased with the fall of the GDR and the influx of more modern cars from the West into reunified Germany. Today, the Trabant remains a historical curiosity and a collector's item. Its pioneering use of biocomposites was ahead of its time, and the car still evokes a sense of nostalgia as a symbol of a bygone era.
Atomic Layer from the Past:
12-11-2018: MakerBot launched Method.
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